Angels

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been decorating for Christmas.  A few years ago, I was at a craft fair and I bought a hand crafted angel.  The angel is gold and stands about a foot tall.  It’s one of my favorite decorations. Since then, whenever I see a pretty or unusual angel, I purchase it for display at Christmas.  I have porcelain, wood, glass and precious moment’s musical angels.  When it comes to the Christmas story, angels had a big role.

I always start my Christmas story with Elizabeth and Zachariah.  Prophecy foretold of a forerunner, someone to tell people the messiah was coming.  The forerunner was John the Baptist and his birth was proclaimed by an angel to Zachariah (Luke 1:11-25).  Even in their old age, they had a son, just as the angel foretold.

The next angelic visitation happened in the town of Nazareth.  There an angel appears to a young virgin named Mary, who was engaged to be married. He tells her she will bear God’s son. (Luke 1:26-35)

The third angel visits Joseph.  Joseph was engaged, but when his betrothed comes up pregnant and he knows he’s not the father, he has to decide what to do.  In his time, stoning a person for such on offense was possible, but he really didn’t want to be cruel. He beseeched God for wisdom.  (Matthew 1:18-25)  This time the angel appeared in the dream and told Joseph the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  He gave Joseph confirmation to marry and raise the child and even what to name him. 

The angels weren’t done.  On the night Jesus was born, there were shepherds watching their sheep by night when an angel appeared to give the shepherds the good news. This angel was joined by a multitude of heavenly hosts, all declaring “Glory to God on the Highest”.  (Luke 2:8-16)

God had one more angel to send. When Herod sought to kill the Messiah, by killing all young Jewish boys, the angel again appears to Joseph in a dream.  This time warning him to flee and take the child and his mother to Egypt until the threat against his life has passed. (Matthew 2:13-15)

In reading all the angel encounters of the Christmas story, I noticed one common thread, the angels always tell the startled humans, do not fear, or be not afraid.  This led me to believe that angels can be imposing figures.  When they come to delivery their messages, they don’t resemble cute little cherubs we see in pictures.  I don’t actually think there is a picture that can capture the power of an angelic being.

Angels don’t always appear in their imposing heavenly form, sometimes they sneak up on us.  Sometimes, when you are desperately in need of help and it comes from an unexpected source, it could be angelic intervention. Sometimes God whispers in our hearts that we need to be an angel for someone else by reaching out, giving and caring.

Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV) “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

The definition of angel is the attendant of God.  We may not be angels, but we can act like them.  This Christmas keeps your eyes and heart open for someone you can be an angel for.

Mandisa - Somebody's Angel (Official Christmas Music Video) from mandisa on GodTube.